


Young Lovers Rage

by 0bviousLeigh



Series: Yuma is a Girl [25]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Card Games, Gender or Sex Swap, Labyrinth References, Other, Swearing, Tron is creepy, so is IV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 07:57:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12577212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0bviousLeigh/pseuds/0bviousLeigh
Summary: Ryoga faces his worst nightmare, and Yuma has a few tricks up her sleeve.





	Young Lovers Rage

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween, enjoy an early update! Fewer episodes involved this time, this is a rewrite of 57-59.

By the time Yuma and Kotori arrive at the magma field, the duel is already underway. Ryoga has a monster on his field, and Thomas has summoned the monstrosity that is Numbers 15. The field isn’t much of a magma field, though.

“Are we in the right place?” Kotori asks.

“This is Ryoga’s doing,” Yuma says. “So maybe he wasn’t being as thick-headed as I feared.” She cups her hands around her mouth and screams, “Hey, boyfriend!”

Ryoga turns to her, and Thomas freezes just as he was about to launch his attack. Yuma completely disregards the pool of magma between her and Ryoga—this is only a field spell, after all—as she runs over it and launches herself into his arms.

Ryoga catches her and hugs her tightly. “What are you doing here?” He asks. “Shouldn’t you be dueling Gauche?”

Yuma leans back, suddenly exhausted from the last two duels that she’s seen. “Ryoga, Tron did something horrible to Droite. He took her memories, and she passed out, I don’t know if she’ll even be okay, if she’ll wake up and have amnesia or if she’ll even wake up at all. And then, I watched Kite duel Chris, I mean V, I mean, oh whatever you want to call him, and Kite won but oh my god Ryoga, it was so painful to watch. Chris was so cruel and he told me horrible things about my dad…”

“Yuma,” Ryoga says firmly. “Breathe.”

Yuma inhales deeply, then she whimpers and puts her head on Ryoga’s shoulder. “I’m so tired.”

Ryoga pats her back. “And now you’re here, knowing full well I’m about to face the man we blame for Rio’s accident,” he says quietly.

“Well I can’t let you go through that alone, can I?” Yuma asks. “I mean, at least I had Astral and Kotori with me for the last two nightmares.”

Ryoga chuckles. “Oh you, always thinking of others.”

“EXCUSE ME!” Thomas screams from across the field, “If you two are done sucking face, I’d like to get back to the duel.”

“We’re not sucking face!” Yuma and Ryoga scream at him.

Yuma continues, “And in case you were wondering, Chris got knocked out of the tournament.” Remembering what Thomas said to Ryoga last week, she spits at Thomas, “By the way, how’s your precious little brother doing?”

Thomas glowers at Yuma. “You bitch,” he spits. “Get out of the way if you don’t want to suffer the same pain I’m about to deliver to your boyfriend.”

Yuma looks at Ryoga, and he nods. “Go on,” he says. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Yuma kisses him and backs away. She pats her pockets—did she bring it? Did she—yes!

Kotori suddenly grabs Yuma’s arm—she must have followed Yuma’s lead and run over the phony magma. “I’ve got service here,” she whispers, showing Yuma her phone. “Tetsuo says that the cameras have gone down shortly after all the duels began, including this one! He says that they saw IV summon Numbers 15, and they saw the start of Droite and Kite’s duels, but nothing after the first turn, basically.”

“Did they see me in any of the duels?” Yuma asks. She flinches as Thomas destroys Ryoga’s Xyz monster.

“Actually, Tetsuo wants to know where you are and why you’re not dueling,” Kotori says.

Ryoga blocks a direct attack from Numbers 15, and Yuma cheers for him. “You go, Ryoga!” She turns back to Kotori and mutters, “Tell him I’m in a corner making out with my boyfriend, but don’t tell him which one.”

“Which corner or which boyfriend?” Kotori asks. “Because I’m pretty sure that together, our friends will realize it’s not Ryoga you’re talking about. They did see him starting a duel, after all.”

“Eh, let them wonder if Ryoga and I would really stop a duel to make out,” Yuma says as Ryoga’s field spell card expires and the heat returns. “Not like they don’t already think I’m a freak, let them wonder if Ryoga is, too.”

Yuma doesn’t actually know if Kotori sends that text, because shortly thereafter, Ryoga summons Numbers 32. She’s worried about him, but Ryoga seems to be in control of his actions, if his dueling is anything to go by.

“Why would Ryoga re-summon the monster he just destroyed to Thomas’ field?” Kotori asks.

“Because of Shark Drake’s ability,” Yuma answers. “He can attack again, and if it goes through, he’ll win.”

But of course, nothing is ever that easy, so the attack doesn’t end up going through.

Ryoga ends his turn, and Thomas suddenly whirls around and shouts, “I know that!!”

Yuma squints at the air behind Thomas. Has he truly cracked this time?

“I know what I have to do!” Thomas screams, “Everything I’ve done until now I’ve done because you ordered it, why would you think I’ve forgotten, father?!”

Father?! Yuma looks around, frantically searching for Tron in the fiery landscape.

“Where are you, Tron?!” Ryoga demands.

Tron pops up in front of Ryoga. “Boo,” the gremlin says.

“Bastard!” Ryoga screams, lunging forward, only for Tron to vanish.

“He’s playing games with you!” Yuma screams at Ryoga, “Don’t fall for it!”

“What are you doing, Tron?” Astral mutters.

“Very well,” says a high-pitched voice. “There’s no point in hiding it. I’ll tell all of you.”

And Tron materializes in front of Yuma, but he also materializes in front of Astral, Kotori, Ryoga and Thomas. Kotori lets out a frightened cry and Yuma steps in front of her.

“The reason I want Ryoga’s heart consumed by darkness, is so I can make my puppet,” Tron says in his sing-song tone made all the more terrifying by the words that leave his mouth, “And personally use him to assassinate Dr. Faker.”

“Assassinate?!” Yuma and Kotori scream at the same time.

“Piss off!” Ryoga orders the image of Tron. “I’ll never let you control me.”

“Whether you want it or not,” Tron says, “You’ll have no choice. You will be mine.”

Yuma shudders. “Oh, ew, ew, ew,” she says. “Creep!”

“Why?!” Thomas demands. “My brothers and I have given you all we have, why won’t you let one of us be the ones to take revenge for you?!”

“Because you don’t stand a chance,” Tron says. “Ryoga is a far better choice than you will ever be. You’ve played your part, IV. Ryoga has his own part to play.”

“I’ll show you that you’re wrong!” Thomas shouts, and he begins his turn.

“Unbelievable,” Yuma says, “Thomas is fighting to kill someone. Of all the illegalities I’ve witnessed in my life, this is the most illegal.”

But what should be even more illegal is the series of attacks that Thomas launches against Ryoga—eight attacks, without destroying Shark Drake, that will hit him consecutively. After the second attack lands, Yuma tries to run to Ryoga’s side, but Tron performs some kind of trick that leaves her bound with chains. She falls over onto her side, and Kotori kneels next to her.

“Oh, I am so going to sue you for everything you have,” Yuma tells Tron through gritted teeth. “Kotori, take a picture of this!”

“I can’t have you interfering,” Tron says to Yuma. “Be a good girl and watch from here.”

Ryoga screams in pain. Yuma shuts her eyes. “Ryoga had nothing to do with this!” She screams, “Why are you making him suffer? What the hell is wrong with you, you twisted little creature?!”

Tron laughs. “Yes, Yuma! Hate me, hate me, hate me! Let darkness overtake your heart, it’ll make it that much more tasty when I consume it.”

Yuma opens her eyes again. “Oh, ew to the max,” she says, looking up at Tron. “Cannibalism is not cool.”

Tron vanishes with a giggle once more.

“Yuma!” Astral cries, “Ryoga is struggling against the control of the Number!”

Yuma looks at Ryoga—he’s sitting up, but his eyes are glazed over. She writhes against the chains and they seem to tighten. She lets out a string of curses that would make a sailor blush, and which certainly make Kotori’s face flame as she helps Yuma to get up on her knees.

Yuma leans forward and screams, “YOU REMIND ME OF THE BABE!”

Ryoga blinks rapidly and lifts his head. The glazed look fades from his eyes, and he rushes to Yuma’s side. He yanks on the chains around her torso, and he snarls, “I’ll kill that bastard with my bare hands.”

“No, idiot,” Yuma snaps, “That’s not the next line!”

Ryoga looks at her incredulously. “Really?”

“It snapped you out of the Numbers funk, didn’t it?” Yuma asks. “Now don’t you worry about me and Tron’s kinks, go kick that psychopath’s ass.”

Ryoga’s face softens, and he kisses Yuma’s forehead. “Remember, he has no power over us,” Ryoga whispers to her.

Yuma misses the majority of Ryoga’s turn as she struggles to free herself from the chains. She chants “you have no power over me” under her breath, she asks Kotori to find a lock that she could pick, but of course there isn’t one, because there’s no logic to this at all. Finally she rolls around in the dirt kicking her legs into the air and cursing under her breath.

Suddenly, the chains vanish. Yuma thrashes briefly, then sits up. “What the fuck?!” She demands.

Kotori grabs Yuma by the shoulders. “Tron snapped his fingers and they vanished,” she says.

And currently, Tron is taunting Thomas about his success in this duel being all about luck, and how it’s bound to run out. He says that Thomas has always been different from his brothers, more hotheaded and impulsive, and he needs to think things over calmly, if he’s even capable of such a thing.

“Ouch,” Yuma says. “I mean he’s not wrong, but that’s a harsh way for a dad to talk to his son.”

“And it’s even truer in this moment,” Astral adds. “Thomas could, as you would say, Yuma, ‘royally fuck this up.’”

Yuma’s jaw drops. “Oh my god!” She screams, making Kotori jump. “Guys! Astral just said ‘fuck!’ Oh my god I’ve corrupted him!”

Across the lava field, Thomas falls to his knees. “Father!” He cries.

Yuma, Astral, Kotori, and Ryoga all turn to him. Thomas’ shoulders shake, and he sounds defeated as he says, “I’ve done all of this in hopes that in the end, you would be my loving father once more. Why can’t you trust me? I did everything for you. I entered this tournament, I incriminated Ryoga, and Rio…”

“SHUT UP!” Yuma and Ryoga shout together.

“Even if you were ordered by Tron,” Ryoga continues, “It doesn’t excuse your actions against Rio! You have to answer for what you did!”

“And I don’t plan on running from you!” Thomas screams. “We’ll settle this here and now!”

Thomas’ dueling becomes risky and erratic, to the point that even Astral questions what he’s thinking.

“Why risk everything he has if there was a card like that in his hand?” Astral asks as Thomas makes his next move. “If he had a chance to land a better attack…”

“This is what Tron was talking about,” Yuma says. “Astral, this is what humans are like. When we become too emotional, we make stupid mistakes. You’ve seen me do it, but in this case…Thomas isn’t just losing control of his emotions.” A shudder runs down her spine for the umpteenth time in the day, and she hugs her arms to herself. “We’re watching him loose his mind,” she whispers.

But Thomas reveals his ultimate trump card, Numbers 88.

“He had another Number?” Astral gasps.

Thomas giggles. “When Numbers 88 detaches its’ last overlay unit, I will win automatically.”

Ryoga clenches his jaw. “I can’t lose like this,” he whispers. “Not against the man who hurt my sister.”

“You don’t have to lose,” comes Tron’s voice. He appears in front of Ryoga, hands out. “After all, only a Number can defeat a Number, and you have a Number. You can still win.”

“Why are you on his side?!” Thomas yells. “Don’t you want me to win, father?!”

“It doesn’t matter if you win or not,” Tron says. “You’ve served your purpose. And soon, you’ll be able to rest, just like your brothers.” Tron turns back to Ryoga. “Shark Drake is calling you…it’s calling you. Become one with the Number, and you can have everything you desire.”

“I can have…my revenge…” Ryoga pants, his voice strained. He clutches his chest, where a red light glows from between his fingers.

Yuma hoped Ryoga could defeat the Numbers’ influence on his own, but Tron is speaking for the Number, giving it a voice and making it that much more powerful. It’s unfair, but Yuma can balance it. She’ll just speak for Ryoga and his heart.

Yuma takes a steps towards Ryoga. _“There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes,”_ She sings. _“A kind of pale jewel, open and closed within your eyes. I'll place the sky within your eyes.”_

Ryoga blinks rapidly. Yuma kneels in front of him and places her hands on his cheeks. Ryoga squeezes his eyes shut and grits his teeth.

“Go away, child!” Tron screams.

Yuma presses her forehead against Ryoga’s. _“As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you. Every thrill is gone, wasn't too much fun at all, but I'll be there for you…As the world falls down.”_

Ryoga gasps for air like a man emerging from the depths of the ocean.  He opens his eyes, his beautiful, clear, focused eyes. Yuma kisses him, and he clings to her. Somewhere behind them, Tron is screaming.

“Not for revenge,” Yuma whispers, her lips pressed to Ryoga’s cheek, “For love. There is a way to win with Shark Drake, but you don’t have to give your heart to the number, for your revenge. Do you trust me, do you have faith in me?”

Ryoga closes his eyes and nods. “Yes, I trust you.”

Yuma whispers into his ear. “Chaos Xyz change. Focus on how much you love Rio, how much you want to show her the kind of person you’ve become. Revenge is a tool only to a certain point, but love is everlasting.”

Yuma stands and backs away. Ryoga gets to his feet and releases the face-down monster on his field. He brings Shark Drake back to the field, and he stares the monster down.

“You will serve me,” Ryoga tells the monster, “But you will not control me.” Ryoga smirks. “As the saying goes—you have no power over me.”

Yuma sobs—she’s so happy, and so proud. Ryoga levels up Shark Drake with a Chaos Xyz change. Purple rain falls from the sky, and the red glow fades from Ryoga’s chest. Shark Drake reemerges, as Shark Drake Vice.

“How?!” Tron and Thomas scream.

“Indeed, how?” Astral asks.

Yuma smiles at Astral through her tears. “The last two times we performed a Chaos change, it was because I was feeling so much love and strength, that the Number seemed to call out to my soul. My love for my friends, or for you, Astral. I don’t know if it’s just love that makes it work, but it’s the most positive emotion in the world. Ryoga is a strong duelist after all, I figured he should be able to do it.”

And Ryoga uses his new monster to steal Number 88’s attack strength and use it as his own. He wins, bringing the great Number crashing to the ground.

Tron snarls and sends a wave of light at Ryoga, knocking him back. Yuma gasps, and Tron turns to her.

“You,” the gremlin snarls, “We’ll see just how far love gets you in the finals,” and then he vanishes, just as before, in a shower of glitter and galaxy print.

Yuma rushes to Ryoga’s side and helps him sit up. The magma field disappears, revealing an ordinary duel stadium.

“You okay?” Yuma asks.

Ryoga grins at her. “I have the image of David Bowie burned into the backs of my eyelids.”

Yuma laughs and kisses her boyfriend’s cheek. “As it should be.”

“Ryoga,” Thomas says softly.

Yuma and Ryoga both snap to attention at the sound of his voice. They walk over to him and stand close together.

“Ryoga…Yuma…” Thomas says, “I’m sorry for what I did to Rio.”

“Bullshit,” Ryoga spits. “Why apologize now, after everything you’ve done? Using her injuries to taunt me, and Yuma…you’re only sorry now?”

Thomas shakes his head. “I followed my father’s orders because I just wanted him to go back to how he used to be. When he gave me that card and told me to use it against her, I had no idea that it would start the fire the way it did.” He closes his eyes and bows his head. “I tried to save her…”

Yuma blurts, “And she wouldn’t have needed saving if you had just been smart and not listened to the thing that calls itself your father and clearly isn’t!” She cries.

“Maybe so,” Thomas says.

“Definitely so,” Astral and Kotori whisper.

“But he was all I had,” Thomas continues.

Yuma opens her mouth, but Ryoga squeezes her hand and gives her a Look. Yuma closes her mouth.

Thomas seems to be running out of energy. “Ryoga, Yuma, if you need someone to hate, then hate me. Please, please save my father. And tell him that I’ll be waiting for him, along with my brothers.”

And then just like the rest of them, Thomas vanishes.

There’s a moment of silence, then Yuma mutters, “Cool motive, still attempted murder.” She turns to Ryoga. “Why didn’t you let me finish telling him off?”

“It’s like you said,” Ryoga tells her, “He was losing his mind. He was out of the tournament anyway, does it really matter what he thinks anymore?”

Yuma purses her lips, but before she can say anything, Ryoga leans over and kisses her. Yuma is surprised, but she’s not complaining.

“What was that for?” She asks when Ryoga leans back.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” he says.

Yuma feels herself blushing, and Kotori lets out a squeal. “Oooh, that’s so going on my blog!”

Yuma whirls around. “You took a picture?!” She cries.

Kotori winks. “Maybe.”

Yuma runs to her, “Lemme see! I’ve never seen myself kissing anyone, did it look good?”

“Don’t you dare put that online!” Ryoga cries.

Yuma laughs. “That’s okay, I’ve got something that’s going to make bigger waves.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her audio recorder. “The chains didn’t affect it,” she says, giddy. She presses fast-forward, then play, and Tron’s creepy voice recites,

 _“The reason I want Ryoga’s heart consumed by darkness, is so I can make my puppet,”_ Tron says in his sing-song tone made all the more terrifying by the words that leave his mouth, _“And personally use him to assassinate Dr. Faker.”_

Kotori’s jaw drops. “You…you recorded all of that?!”

Yuma nods, and she hands the audio recorder to Kotori. “And now you need to get it to my sister, as soon as freaking possible. Ryoga’s duel coaster is probably going out of this hellscape, so you go with him. You’ll probably miss my duel but this is super important and part of our duel-gang pact.”

Kotori clicks her heels together and salutes. “Yes, Ma’am!” She says sternly. “I will not delay!”

“I’m staying with you,” Ryoga says to Yuma.

“As much as I would love that,” Yuma says honestly, “I feel like even Heartland would consider that cheating.”

“You’ve been watching duels this whole time,” Ryoga says.

“Yeah, but I didn’t win my one-on-one yet,” Yuma tells him.

Ryoga has the audacity to pout. “Aw, c’mon,” he whines. “Don’t you want both your boyfriends cheering you on?”

Yuma lets out a strangled yelp and covers her face. “Argh, don’t you dare get cute on me!” She screeches.

“If Heartland forbids it, he forbids it,” Astral says, nudging Yuma. “You can try.”

“Oh, you’re ganging up on me now?” Yuma cries. She throws her hands up. “Okay, fine, let’s get this show on the road. Coaster track, rather.”

Yuma sees that Kotori is safely on her way before she climbs back into her own duel coaster. When she and Ryoga take off, Yuma suddenly realizes something.

“Crap in a bucket!” She hisses, “I don’t think Gauche knows about Droite, and he’s in love with her!”

“What?!” Ryoga cries, “What makes you think that?”

“Kite pretty much told me as much!” Yuma yells back. She avoids a trap point. “Crap, crap, craaaap! What am I supposed to do? Should I tell him or not?”

“You won’t get to tell him anything if you don’t avoid these traps!” Ryoga shouts.

“I can’t avoid that one!” Yuma screams—there’s one on the track right in front of her. Her life points take a blow. “Ah, I hate everything!” Yuma screams.

 

* * *

 

 

Kotori is wound tight like a spring. The duel coaster glides into the dock, and employees are waiting, but they’re shocked to see Kotori.

“You’re…” One woman starts, but the seatbelt has disengaged.

“KATTOBINGU!” Kotori shrieks. She dashes past the employees, out the door, through a hallway, and out another door into fresh air. She’s briefly disoriented—so bright, where the hell is she anyway?—but she quickly reorients herself and takes off running in the direction of Yuma’s house, audio recorder in hand.

 

* * *

 

Yuma finally arrives at the canyon field, and it’s full of coaster tracks.

“Oh, no fair,” she grumbles. “Everyone else got to duel standing on firm ground, I gotta duel in this death trap?”

“That’s what you get for waiting this long to face your opponent,” Ryoga says.

Yuma elbows him.

Gauche is waiting under what looks like a lean-to situated in a narrow ravine, with a cow skull strung over it. Very gaudy, very historically inaccurate.

“I’ve been waiting,” Gauche says as Yuma’s duel coaster rolls into the stop.

“Well, excuse the heck out of me,” Yuma grumps.

Gauche raises his eyes at Ryoga. “Switched out your company, did you?”

“Yeah,” Yuma says. “And listen, there’s something I’ve gotta tell you,” she unbuckles her seatbelt and starts to rise, but stops when Gauche holds out his hand.

“No way!” Gauche says with a laugh. “I’ve been waiting for this duel, Ms. Yuma, and I’m not waiting anymore! Let’s go, I’ll beat you and take the original Number!”

Yuma stares at Gauche blankly. “What…what the heck do you want Numbers 17 for?”

Gauche stares at Yuma, and Ryoga mutters, “He means Astral.”

“AW HELL NO!” Yuma cries, “YOU AIN’T TAKING ASTRAL FROM ME, YA HEAR?!”

Ryoga shakes his head. “Just focus on your dueling and he won’t,” he tells her.

Yuma and Gauche start the duel, with Gauche calling dibs on the first move. To Yuma’s shock, the field that they’re in causes them to lose life points each time they summon or use a monster to attack. And thanks to that trap from earlier, she’s already low on life points. But to her further shock, Gauche plays a trap that restores her life points to full capacity.

“Whaaaaaat?!” Yuma cries.

“Don’t misunderstand,” Gauche says with a chortle, “I just wanted the other effect—to draw two cards. And I must admit, it’s not my nature to hunt down those weaker than myself.”

“Why you—” Yuma says through gritted teeth. “What are you playing at?!”

“Calm down,” Ryoga says.

“I AM CALM!” Yuma screams.

Ryoga and Astral let out identical sighs, and Yuma says under her breath, “Oh now both of you get to judge me. Whatever, I’m doing this my way.”

And for the first few turns, she plays it safe. She takes as little damage from the field spell as she can, all while trying to fend off Gauche’s attacks. She Xyz summons Gagaga Cowboy, and gives Gauche some damage without taking any on her own.

“That was a cheap trick,” Gauche growls. “Are you going to hide behind your cards this whole time?! I didn’t want such a boring duel!”

Yuma slams her hands down on the duel coaster dashboard. “I ain’t hiding behind anything!” She screeches, “This is how you play this friggin’ game!”

Ryoga takes her arm. “Yuma, you have been playing differently than you usually do. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?!” Yuma cries, “You of all people know what’s wrong!”

“But you’re not me, or Kite, or Tron,” Ryoga says. “You know why you duel.”

Yuma closes her eyes. “That was before…before…”

“Love conquers all,” Astral says. “You’re thinking of Droite, aren’t you? Wondering if love could have saved her.”

Yuma switches tracks and brings her duel coaster back to where she and Gauche started. She puts her head in her hands. “I can’t not tell him,” she says.

Ryoga pats her back. “Do what you think is best,” he says.

Gauche brings his duel coaster to a stop as well, and he starts to say something, but stops himself. “Are you crying?” He asks.

Yuma lifts her head. She does feel tears coming on. She gulps, and resolves to tell a white lie. “Gauche,” she says, “Have you been monitoring the other duels?”

Gauche scoffs. “I only care about my duels.”

Yuma bites her lip. “Then you don’t know who Droite faced?”

Gauche pauses. “Droite?” He repeats. “No, I…is she okay?”

Yuma can’t meet his eyes. “No. She faced Tron.”

Gauche sways to one side. “Tron,” he growls. “What did he do to her?!”

“Something horrible!” Yuma cries. “I was only there for the end of it, I tried to help her but Tron, he did something to make her forget things. I don’t know how much, or if she’ll get those memories back, but the last thing she said was that I should make sure she wasn’t forgotten!” Astral gives Yuma a confused look. She ignores it. “You play a heroic deck, and you tell me that I’m playing it too safe, but you are such a hypocrite! You couldn’t even take a chance at the thing that matters most in life! You think I didn’t see the way you looked at her? Why didn’t you tell her how you feel?! She would have known then that she would never be forgotten because she would always have you!” She forces herself to stop there. She’s breathing hard, near tears, and she can’t read the expression on Gauche’s face.

“Yuma…” Gauche says, “You were there for her?”

Yuma nods. “I tried to…to console her.”

“Then I’m grateful,” Gauche says with a smile. “You were there for her when I couldn’t be. And you’re right, I should have said something to her. I’ll always regret that I wasn’t brave enough to. But you—you hope to face Tron? You’ll never make it if you keep dueling the way you are. Tron wants…what did you say? Astral? Tron wants that, too.”

“Him, Astral’s a living being and identifies as male,” Yuma corrects.

“Him, then,” Gauche says. “So fight me like you mean it, show me you have what it takes to win and protect him!”

Yuma wipes her eyes and manages a shaky smile. “Okay,” she says, “Okay…let’s get this show on the road!”

And with Ryoga and Astral by her side, she gives the duel her all. She imagines her friends watching, she imagines her sister, grandma, and parents watching, and she hopes that they’re all proud of her.

In the final showdown stage of the duel, Yuma and Gauche both duel the best they can, and in the end Yuma is victorious.

Gauche smiles at her from across the field. “You did well,” he says.

“You too,” Yuma tells him. “Sorry for all the times I yelled at you.”

“Sorry I went around chasing you,” Gauche says sheepishly.

Yuma crosses the field and holds out her hand. “I forgive you,” she says. They shake hands, and Yuma asks, “So what’s next for you?”

Gauche gets a far-away look in his eyes. “Now I got find Droite and stay by her side, until she recovers, and if she’ll allow it, every day thereafter.”

Yuma squeals. “That’s so romantic!”

Gauche chuckles. “Now you take your boyfriend and go home, celebrate your victory, and get ready for tomorrow.”

“Will do!” Yuma and Ryoga vow. Hand in hand, with Astral floating over them, they head back to the duel coaster. It’s been a long day, and Yuma is tired.

“Wanna come to my place?” Yuma asks as she and Ryoga take off. “My grandma said I could invite some friends for dinner.”

Ryoga grins at her. “Sure, I’ll be there.”


End file.
